Early Doctor of Chiropractics believed that subluxations were the
cause of all disease. Today, the profession understands much more
clearly the multifactorial nature of health and illness. Yet, while
subluxations may not be the sole cause of a given disease, they are
still a major predisposing factor because they prevent the nervous
system from working optimally to help keep the body healthy. By
correcting vertebral subluxations, the chiropractic adjustment can
help maintain the overall health of the nervous system and the
body's organs.
Chiropractic adjustments are also helpful in preventing
everyday wear and tear on joints and ligaments by maintaining the
proper mobility of the joints. It can also help decrease
accumulation of scar formation after serious injury, thus preventing
later weakness or stiffness of the affected joints. During a
chiropractic session, if localized areas of dysfunction are
apparent, treatment will usually focus on increasing spinal motion.
This can be accomplished through the use of a combination of touch,
active motion (having the patient bend or stretch in precise ways),
and passive movement (in which the chiropractic physician assists
the patient) in order to initiate a specific adjustment.
One of the most common complaints from patients seeking chiropractic
care is low-back pain. In a two-year study by Britain's Medical
Research Council, chiropractic treatment was found more effective
than hospital outpatient care for lowback pain. Years later,
those patients treated with chiropractic care continued to suffer
less pain than those treated by medical doctors.[1]
Studies conducted by the Florida Department of Labor and the Rand
Corporation, in Los Angeles, California, came to similar
conclusions.[2]
Along with these landmark studies, there is also a general shift of
attitude within the medical community that supports chiropractic's
new role and acknowledges the vital importance of the nervous
system in relation to the normal functioning and relative health of
the body.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, chiropractic is
also an effective treatment for neck injuries, whiplash, scoliosis
(curvature of the spine), carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive stress
disorders, certain sports injuries (particularly those that limit
range of motion), and as an aid for dealing with the physiological
changes experienced by women during and after pregnancy.[3]
Patients visiting chiropractic physicians often discover that the
underlying causes of their illnesses are not what they expected them
to be.
Doctor of Chiropractic has also been successful in treating various
disturbances of the body, including peripheral joint injuries
(hands, knees, elbows, hips, shoulders), sprains, arthritis,
bursitis, and menstrual difficulties. Evidence also shows that
chiropractic adjustment combined with proper nutrition can improve
and, in some cases, reverse osteoarthritis.[4]
Just as significantly, research shows that the long term benefits
of regular chiropractic care helps to maintain the health of the
body as we age and prevent decline in physical capabilities among
the elderly.
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[1]
T.W. Meade et al. "Low Back Pain of Mechanical Origin:
Randomised Comparison of Chiropractic and Hospital
Outpatient Treatment." British Medical Journal 300:6737
(June 1999), 1431-1437.
[2]
Rand Corporation. "The Appropriateness of Spinal
Manipulation for Low Back Pain: Indications and Ratings by a
Multidisciplinary Expert Panel." Rand Corporation Study
(1991).
[3]
The Art of Healthy Living: The Consumer's Guide to
Chiropractic Care (1998). Available from: American
Chiropractic Association, 1701 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington,
VA 22209.
[4]
D.L. Berkson.
"Osteoarthritis, Chiropractic, and Nutrition: Osteoarthritis
Considered as a Natural Part of a Three-Stage Subluxation
Complex: Its Reversibility, Its Relevance and Treatability
by Chiropractic and Nutritional Correlates. Medical
Hypotheses 36 (1991), 356-367.
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